What Does the Bible Say About Losing Friends?
Here are 15 Bible verses about losing friends, ordered by how relevant readers found them, with the King James Version and the modern Berean Standard Bible side by side.
- #1Psalms 34:17-20
The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
BSBThe righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all. He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.
- #2Proverbs 18:24
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.
BSBA man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.
- #3John 15:18-23
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
BSBIf the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. But they will treat you like this because of My name, since they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates Me hates My Father as well.
- #4Proverbs 27:4-6
Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but who is able to stand before envy? Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
BSBWrath is cruel and anger is like a flood, but who can withstand jealousy? Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed. The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
- #52 Corinthians 12:9
And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
BSBBut He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
- #6Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
BSBYou will be hated by everyone because of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.
- #7Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
BSBAnd my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
- #81 Corinthians 15:33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
BSBDo not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
- #9Proverbs 17:17
A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
BSBA friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
- #101 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
BSBIf we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- #11Romans 8:18
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
BSBI consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.
- #12James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
BSBSubmit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- #132 Corinthians 4:16-18
For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
BSBTherefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
- #14Proverbs 16:28
A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.
BSBA perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
- #15Colossians 2:8
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
BSBSee to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.
Verse rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY). Scripture: KJV & BSB (public domain).